Methods of and apparatus for storing and testing paramagnetic articles



I98/33(R)1, 4l 221/266, 277 f United States Patent r1113,537,580

[72] Inventors John E. Beroset 56] References Cited 0k L T l P l i UNITED STATES PATENTS t [2l] Appl No ggg'ggoM me emp e' "'sy "n 3,115,235 12/1963 omen 2o9/s1x [22] Filed Sept 30, 1968 3,120,890 2/1964 Waltz 198/33 [45] Patented Nov. 3,1970 Primary Examiner-Richard A. Schacher [73] Assignee Western Electric Company, Incorporated Attorneys-R. P. Miller, H. J. Winegar and M. Pfeffer New York, New York tl f N Y k a como on o ew or ABSTRACT: A storage bin has a pair of horizontally extended j upstanding walls which are parallel and spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the length of elongated paramagv netic articles. Horizontally extending plate magnets within [54] METHgD'g APND ALTARATUS FOR STORING each wall form a gap of uniformly increasing width to establish AND T s ARA GNETIC ARTICLES a magnetic field having a flux de'nsity which increases from the 18 Claims lo Drawing Figs' lback end to the frontend of the bin. A random mass of articles [52] U.S. Cl 209/73, deposited in the back end of the bin are suspended and l98/33,209l8l,22l/266 migrate toward, and congregate at, the front end of the bin [5 l] lnt. Cl B07c 1/06 where the articles are removed individually by a rotary [50.] Field of Search 209/73-, 8l; member which is moved through a sector of the bin to attract and hold the articles.

Patented Nov. 3, 1970 Sheet, L of 5 Patented Nov. 3, 1970 Sheet 3 ,of 5

I. /j e SUMMARY F THE INVENTION An object of this invention is to provide new and improved methods of and apparatus for storing paramagnetic articles and to establish within the bin a magnetic field having parallel horizontal lines of force, the flux density of which increases from a first end of the bin to the opposite end of the binl whereat a rotary member is moved through a sector of the bin to attract and hold articles for removal from the bin.

With these and other object in mind, the present invention contemplates methods of and apparatus for storing a mass of paramagnetic articles in a magnetic field having parallel horizontal lines of force with the strength of the magnetic field increasing from a first or back end of the field tothe opposite or front end of the field so that the paramagnetic articles migrate toward that end of the field having the maximum flux density where the articles are removed from the field.

More particularly, a mass of elongated, paramagnetic articles, each of which has a center body portion with leads axially extending therefrom, are deposited randomly within a storage bin device which includes a pair of spaced, parallel walls upstanding from a base. The walls are spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the length of the paramagnetic articles. A plate magnet is positioned within each of the walls at an acute angle to a longitudinal center line of the bin. In this way, a uniformly varying gap is formed between the plate magnet and the wall to establish a magnetic field with horizontal lines of force between the upstanding walls and having a maximum flux density at the opposite or front end of the bin where the one ends of the plate magnets are closest to each other, and having a minimum flux density at the first or back end of the bin where the other ends of the plate magnets are furtherest from each other. A rotary member is moved into and through a sector of the bin device at the front end thereof to engage and remove articles from the field. The articles are tested as the articles are removed from the field and are sorted in accordance with test characteristics.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a view of a typical component, a mass of which may be suspended and then removed in predetermined numbers and thereafter sorted and tested by practicing the methods of and utilizing the apparatus constituting -the member invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view partially broken away of a bin embodying the principles of the present invention and showing a mass of paramagnetic articles suspended along horizontal lines of force with a rotary pickup and test member mounted for movement into one end of the bin;

FIG. 3 is a plan view partially broken away of the magnetic bin shown in FIG. 2 and depicting the position of plate magnets in each of a pair of upstanding walls between which are suspended the paramagnetic articles and the rotary pickup member;

FIG. 4 is a side view partially broken away showing end view s of the mass of paramagnetic articles suspended along the lines of force of the magnetic bin;

FIG. 5 is an end view in section taken along lines 5-5 in FIG. 3 and showing the mass of paramagnetic articles suspended along the magnetic lines of force in the magnetic bin;

FIG. 6 is a force vector diagram illustrating the several forces operating on the diodes within the storage bin device;

FIG. 7 is a plan view partially broken away of a substantially longer bin than that shown in FIG. 2 embodying the principles of the present invention and depicting the position of plural' plate magnets in each of a pair of upstanding walls;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged end elevational view of the rotary pickup and test member in section taken along lines 8-8 in FIG. 4 and showing one of a pair of probes in contact with the leads of a paramagnetic article received in a nest formed in the peripheral edge of the rotary member;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to FIG. 1, there vis shown a diode, designated generally by the numeral 10, of. the type that may be mass loaded into an apparatus embodying the principles of the invention disclosed in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,388,795, and of the present invention, and then magnetically withdrawn therefrom in predetermined quantities. The diode 10 has a semiconductor body l1 having paramagnetic leads 12 and 12' axially extending therefrom.

In general, an apparatus 19 for storing and testing diodes 10 includes a magnetic storage bin 20 having horizontal lines of force and a flux density which increases from a back end 34 to a front end 36 of the bin (See FIG. 2). A mass of diodes 10 which are deposited randomly in the back end 34 of the bin 20 are suspended along the lines of force and are urged by the gradient in magnetic force and gravitational force components induced by tilting the bin to move toward and congregate at the front end 36 of the bin. A rotary device 40 is moved rotatably through a sector of the frontend of the vbin 20 to attract and hold successive ones of the diodes 10 which are subsequently tested by a test device S5 as the diodes are conveyed out of the bin. The diodes l0 are stripped individually from the rotary device 40 and sorted in accordance with`a test characteristic.

Attention is now directed to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 which show an apparatus designated generally by the numeral 19 which includes a bin designated generally by the numeral 20 for magnetically storing a mass of the axially leaded components 10 and from which selected quantities thereof are withdrawn. The bin 20 includes a base plate 2l on which is mounted a spacer block 22 (See FIG. 5). The spacer block 22 has a length equal to that of the base plate 21, but is narrower in width than the base plate. A pair of horizontally extending, upstanding walls, designated generally by the numerals 23, are secured to the base plate 2l and the spacer block 22.

Each of the walls 23 includes an inner plate 24 and an outer plate 26, both of which are constructed of nonmagnetic stainless steel. The use of the adjectives inner and outer is to distinguish that part of the bin 20 closer to the longitudinal center line of the bin as opposed to that part farthest therefrom. The outer plate 26 extends downwardly and overlaps the sides of the base plate 2l and is attached thereto. A top cover plate 27 may be formed by bending an upper portion of the outer plate 26. The top plate 27 rests on the inner plate 24 and extends the length of the base plate 2l. The inner plates 24 are fastened along a lower portion thereof to the spacer block 22. A bed plate 28 is supported on the spacer block 22 between the inner plates 24 of the upstanding walls 23.

As can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 5, the walls 23 are spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the length of the paramagnetic articles 10. Moreover, the spacing between the walls 23 is maintained and stabilized by a pair of spreader blocks 29 which are mounted at both top end portions of the storage bin 20. Each of the spreader blocks is fastened to the inner plates 24 of the walls 23.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a pair of plate magnets 3l and 32 may be positioned within each of the walls 23 for establishing a strong magnetic field. A tapered block 33 is formed with a tapered edge along the outer side thereof. Each of the outer plate magnets 32 is positioned within one of the walls 23 so that the outer plate magnet rests on top of the base plate 21 and is in contact with the tapered edge of the block 33 (See FIG. 5).

In order to complete the magnetic arrangement within each of the walls 23, the inner plate magnet 31 is positioned against the outer plate magnet 32 and rests on top of the tapered block 33. The upper edge of each of the plate magnets 31 and 32 is in contact with theunderside of the top cover plate 27.

As can be seen in FIG. 3, the positioning of the plate magnets 31 and 32 within thewalls 23 form a gap, designated by the distance 11 between the inner surface of the plate magnet 31 and the inner plate 24 of the wall. This distance d1 varies uniformly from a first or back end 34 of the bin device 20 to the opposite or front end 36 of the bin device. In this way, tht.` magnetic field which is established between the plate magnets 31 and 32 in the pair of walls 23 increases in intensity from the right end of the bin 20 to the left end of the bin, as' viewed in FIGS. 3 and 7. The flux density of the magnetic field which is established between the-magnetic plates is a maximum at the left or opposite end ofthe storage bin 20, and is ata minimum at the right or first end.

Because of the angular arrangement of the magnetic plates 31 and 32, the magnetic field increases in strength or flux density toward the frontend of the bin, and as a result, a paramagnetic article placed in such field will tend to align itself in that portion of the field `having the maximum flux density. In effect, there are magnetic force components directed along the inner walls tending to shift the articles within the bin, which will be referred to hereinafter as Xl forces (See FIG. 6). The force components spanning the walls, hereinafter designated Ym components, act to hold the articles suspended while the X,

components urge the diodes suspended along the Ym lines of force in an X or longitudinal direction (See FIG. 6), and toward the left end of the bin.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 4, the storage bin 20 is tilted slightly, at an anglea, to the horizontal with the left end lower than the right end. In this way, a gravitational force cornponent, hereinafter designated Xw, further acts on the diode 10 in cooperation with the X, force components to urge the diodes toward the left end of the storage bin and to corigregate slightly below the vertical center of the storage bin.

It has been found that the angle a which the bin forms with the horizontal in order to obtain optimum efficiency and greatest utilization ofthe gravitational force component Xw is a function of the weight of the paramagnetic articles 10. Specifically, the angle at of the bin proportional to the weight l of the article 10..' I`he less mass the article 10 possesses, the

less the angle aof tiltmust be. In the bins now in use, the base plate is tilted approximately 4 degrees to the horizontal plane.

The angle pwhich the magnetic plates 31 and 32 form with a longitudinal center line of the storage bin 20, as viewed in FIG. 3, is a function of the characteristics of the articles which are stored in the bin. In order to obtain optimum migration of the articles or diodes 10 toward the left end of the bin, the mass of the diodes aswell as the magnetic characteristics of the leads 12-12' must be taken into account. In one instance, it has been found when handling lightweight diodes that an angle betweenthemagnetic plates 31 and 32 and the longitudinal center line of the bin of approximately 4 degrees yields optimum results.

The base plate 21, as well as the side plate 26 and depending portion 27 thereof, may be shaped from standard low carbon steel. The inner plate 24 should be made of a low friction-.relatively nonmagnetic material, such as stainless steel. The low friction characteristic of the inner plates 24 is required in order to prevent damage to the ends of the leads 12-12 when moving along the inside of the bin 20. The bed plate 28 may also be made from a low friction material; but this is not necessary since, for reasons soon to become apparent, the diode leads will most likely not contact the bed plate. Therefore, the bed plate 28 couldbe made of a nonmagnetic material, such as aluminum.

An alternative embodiment would employ plate magnets 31 in each ofthe walls 23 with the plate magnet 32 replaced with a back-up plate 32 made of a low carbon steel. Since the base plate 21 is also made from a low carbon steel, the base plate and the back-up plates 32 form a U-shaped low reluctance return path for the magnetic field between the walls 23. The low reluctance return path increases the density of the flux thereupon permitting the use of fewer magnets or less powerful magnets. The low reluctance flux return path has a dual function of serving as a shield to reduce the magnetic effects ofthe storage bin on adjacent equipment such as relays, reed switches, and solenoids.

ln practicing the method of the present invention, operator loads manually or by some conveying means (not shown) a mass of randomly oriented paramagnetic articles 10 into thc storage bin 20, whereupon the mass of articles is suspended in an orderly fashion alongthe horizontal parallel lines of inagnetic force, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5 and are urged to congregate at the left end of the storage bin. Then a rotary pickup device, designated generally by the numeral 40, is continuously rotated through the` left-hand end of the storage bin 20 to attract and hold a predetermined number of the paramagnetic articles 10. As the pickup device moves into the bin 20, and removes successively articles l0 from the mass thereof at the left-hand end, the additional masses of articles randomlydeposited in the bin migrate toward the left end of the bin where the flux'density ofthe magnetic field is at a maximum.

As can be seen in FIG. 6, the angular orientationofthe plate magnets 31 and 32 within the walls 23 of the storage bin 20, in effect, establishes a longitudinally extended magnetic field in which the magnitude ofthe flux density varies from a maximum at the left end 36 of the storage bin 20 to a minimum at the other, or right end 34,*of the storage bin. The magnetic flux density develops a force component, Xm, along the surface of the inner walls 24 which are proportional to the change in flux density divided by the change in distance X, and which, for a linearly graded flux density is a constant. In this way, the paramagnetic articles are not only suspended along the lines of force, but are also acted upon by a component along the surfaces of the inner wall plates 24 which thereupon tends to move the articles toward the left end 36 of the bin. Moreover, the tilting of the storage bin 20 allows the gravitational force component Xw, hereinbefore described, to act on the diodes 10 to further urge the diodes toward the left end of the storage bin. v

By utilizing this storage bin with a tapered magnetic field, there is a constant flow of successively deposited masses of the articles into the vicinity of the pickup, or lower left end, ofthe pickup device 40. By maintaining a constant supply of paramagnetic articles 10 within reach ofthe pickup device 40, access time for picking up the paramagnetic articles is minimized. Moreover, the movement ofthe articles 10 within n the storage bin 20 permits a continuous, or incremental, conveying of additional paramagnetic articles into the storage bin. The geometry of the pickup member 4t), as disclosed, is arranged so that only a predetermined number of diodes 10, in this case one, can be attracted in seriatim and removed from the storage bin 20. i

It appears in FIG. 4 that some of the diodes 10 would come to rest against the bed plate 28 and hence would never be picked up by the pickup device 40. However, the intensity of the magnetic field, between the walls 23,`wlien viewed from FIG. 4 varies from aminimum at the top of the bin 20 to a maximum somewhere near the midpoint of the height of the magnetic plates 31 and 32, and then back to a minimum near the bed plate 28. This occurs because near the top and bottom of the magnetic plates 31 and 32, the magnetic lines of force tend to become established in paths other than solely between the walls 23. Therefore,.thc diodes l0 in seeking a position of rest where the magnetic flux density is at a maximum tend to move to thc approximate`midhcight`of the walls 23. For the lighter diodes I0, the vertical gravitational force components do not overcome the magnetic` force components Y, and the diodes tend to congregate aboutthe midheight of the inner plate 24 at the left end of the storage bin 20.

However, when using the storage bin 20 to store heavier diodes 10, it may be necessary to utilize a shading strip of magnetic material between the bottom of the magnetic plates 3l and 32 and the top of the spacer block 22. ln this way, the lines of magnetic force between the walls 23 will not exist below the bottoms of the magnetic plates 3l, thereupon tending to keep the diodes 10 above the bed plate 28 so that they may be captured by the pickup device 40.

in another embodiment employing the principles of the present invention, provisions are made for increasing the capacity of the storage bin by increasing the length of the bin (See FIG. 7). However, commercially available plate magnets are not manufactured in those lengths which would be required to substantially lengthen the bin. Therefore, it is necessary to place several magnets butted end to end within each of the bin walls.

The problem arises, however, that when the plate magnets are butted end to end, the magnetic field within the bin is no longer substantially uniformly varying because of a strong concentration of flux lines of magnetic force at the joints between abutting magnets. This localized build up in field strength cannot he overcome by increasing the :ingle between the inner face ofthe wall 23 and the plate magnets. It' the angle were increased, a point of diminishing return would be reached when the magnetic strength of the field is no longer adequate to suspend the diodes against the downward urging of gravitational forces and the diodes would fall to the bottom of the bin.

As shown in FIG. 7, adjacent magnets in each wall are spaced apart with a gap therebetween and shading strips 41 and 42 made from a low carbon steel, and in the configuration shown, are used to span across the gap. By employing the shading strips 4l and 42, the magnetic field is weakened in the vicinity of the joint between adjacent magnets and the uniform magnetic field is established. The configuration of shading strips with the shading strip 42 substantially shorter than the .shading strip 4l shown in FIG. 7 was arrived at empirically.

It will be observed from FIG. 7 that the alignment of the shading strips 4l and 42 on one side ofthe longitudinal center line of the bin is not symmetrical with the other side. lf the alignment were symmetrical, an abrupt change in field strength would occur. To avoid sudden vchanges in the flux density, the ends of the shading strips are staggered on opposits sides ofthe longitudinal center line of the bin.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the device 40 for conveying and testing the articles 10 includes a rotary member or feed wheel 46 mounted on a shaft 47 so that the rotary member is rotated through the left-hand end of the bin 20 as viewed in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. The rotary member 46 is constructed of an electrically nonconductive material and is dimensioned to attract and hold a predetermined number of articles 10 as the rotary member is moved rotatably through the magnetic field.

Referring now to FIGS. 2, 4, 8 and 9, the rotary member 46 may have a plurality of nesting slots 48 cut transversely in a peripheral face 49 ofthe rotary member. The rotary member 46 is also formed with a pair of spaced ridges 51 circumscribing the peripheral edge of the rotary member with one of the ridgeson each side of the row of nesting slots 48. Each of the ribs l is formed with a plurality of slots 52 cut transversely thercacross with opposed slots in the spaced ribs aligned with each other and with the longitudinal center line ofthe nesting slot 48 interposed therebetween.

A plurality of ratchet slots S3 are also formed in a stepped clown portion 54 of the peripheral face 49 with each of the ratchet slots aligned with one of the nesting slots 48 (See FIGS. 4 and 9).

In order to attract and hold each of the articles l0 to the rotary member 46 as the rotary member is moved through a sector of the field, pole magnets 56 are positioned in bores 57 formed in the rotary member along radial lines aligned with each of the nesting slots 48 (See FIGS. 4 and 8). The pole magnets 56 are spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the length of the body il ofthe diode 10 so as to engage the leads 12-12' (See FIG, 8).

The ridges 5l are used to nest the leads 12-12' of the elongated articles 10 instead of using a groovecut transversely en tirely across the peripheral face 49 of the rotary member 46. In this way if the leads l212-, being slender members, are slightly bent or curved', it is much easier to nest only a portion of the lead rather than the entire length thereof. 0f course, a wide groove could be cut in the peripheral face 49 of the rotary member 46 to avoid this problem, but then the bottom portions ofthe slots in the ridges could be so exposed as to attract more than one article.

lt is not necessary for practicing this invention to use a rotary member 46 having a plurality of siots 43 cut therein. .For those diodes l0 having relatively smali bodies lll, the peripheral face 49 ofthe rotary member 46 may merely have a pair of spaced ridges 5l formed thereon with aligned ratchet slots 53 cut in the stepped down portions 54 of the rotary member (See FIG. 2). In this way, the leads l2 of each ofthe diodes l0 is supported against the peripheral face 49 ofthe ro tary member 46 for determining a test characteristic of each of the diodes with a test device, designated generally by the numeral 55 and similar to that disclosed in copending application Ser. No. 763,69() filed Sept. 30, 1968.

The test device 55 includes a pair of levers 5S which are rotatably mounted on the shaft 47 adjacent ,the radial faces of the rotary member 46. One ofthe levers 58 has a pawl 59 pivotally mounted on a pin 6l on the free end thereof (See FIGS. 2 and 4). The pawl 59 has a toothed portion 62 which engages successive ratchet slots 53 on the rotary member 46. rlhe toothed portion 62 is held within each successive ratchet slot 53 by a tension spring 63, one end of which is fastened to a post 64 on the lever 58 and the other end of which is attached to a lug 66 extending laterally from the pawl 59.

In order to test the diodes lil, a pair of spaced contacts, designated generally bythe numerals 67, are supported from a cross member 68 which spans the peripheral face 49 of the rotary member 46 and is attached to the levers 58 (See FIGS. 2 and il). As is shown in FIG. ii, an upper end 69 el' each of the contacts 67 is attached to a block 7l on the cross member GS. The block 71 is made from an electrically insulative material to isolate the contacts 67 from ground and from each other. A lower element 72 of each of the contacts 67 is attached to each ofthe upper portions 69 and is positioned with respect to the peripheral face 49 of the rotary member to provide an urging electrical contact with the leads i12-l2'. An electrical circuit is completed from a test set (not shown) through a conductor 73 through one ofthe contacts 67 to thc lead l2 and then through the lead l2' back through the other contact 67 and a secured conductor wire 74 to the test set.

As may best be seen in FIG. 4, the rotation of the lever :'58 is limited between a first stop member 76 and a second stop member 77 which are mounted in a frame 78. The frame 78 is mounted separate and apart from the test device lever 5S. Moreover, the lever 58 is biased in a clockwise direction into engagement with the second stop member 77 by a tension spring 79 which has one end attached to the lever and the other end attached to the frame 78.

OPERATION An operator loads a mass of paramagnctic articles i0 into the right-hand end 34 of the storage bin 20 whcreat the magnetic field between the plate magnets 3l and 32 has a minimum flux density. Because of the arrangement of the magnets 3l. and 32 in the walls 23 ofthe storage bin Ztl), the articles migrate under the urging of gravitational and magnetic forces toward the lower left-hand end 36 of the storage bin.

As the rotary member 46 is moved through a sector of the bin 20 in a counterclockwise or first direction to attract and hold successive articles 10, the pawl`59 having the toothed portion 62 in one of the ratchet slots SJrides with the rotary member and rotates the lever 58 in the counter-clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 4. Then, when the test device 55 is urged in a clockwise or second direction, and the contacts 67 initially engage the leads 12,412', the contacts make wiping contact with the leads ofthe diode l0. After the pawl 59 has engaged one of the slots 53 and the test device 55 rides with the rotary member 46, there is no relative motion between the contacts and the leads. `Anelectrical circuit is complete from the test set (not shown) through the conductors 73 and 74 and the contacts 67 and Aan electrical test is performed on the diode article l in that nesting slot 48 aligned with the ratchet slot 53 currently engaged by the pawl 59.

When the testl is completed, the block 7l extending from the upper end of the lever 58. (See FIG. 4), engages the stop member 76 which ismounted on the frame 78 independent of the rotary member 4.6,.' The rotary member 46 `continues to rotate in a counterclockwise direction, but the lever 58 is held against the `stop member 76. Asthe rotary member 46 is rotated ,the pawl 59 is pivotcd about the pin 61 to move the toothed portion 62` out of the ratchet slot 53 whereupon the lever is urged in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 4 by the tension spring 79.

The lever 58 `rotates about the shaft 47, until the lever en gages second stop-member A7'7 (See FIG. 4). Meanwhile, the rotary member 46 has continued to rotate counterclockwise, as viewed in FIG. 4, and the toothed portion 62 of the pawl 59 rides over the stepped down portion 54 of the peripheral face 49 of the rotary member until the toothed portion is urged into the next successive ratchet slot S3 by the tension spring 63. At that time, the contacts 6,7 on the test device 55 engage the leads 12-12' of thediode 10 in the next successive nesting slot 48. The diodes are subsequently stripped from the rotary member 46 and sorted in accordance with theresult of the test by any of several commercially available devices, designated generally by the numerals 81 (See FIGS. 2 and 4).

The sorting device 8l may include any of several commercially known stripping devices, all well known in the art for stripping the diodes-10 from the rotary member 46. For example, the stripping device (not shown) may comprise fixed stripping blades on opposite sides of the, rotary member 46 to engage the leads 12x-.12 or a pair of bladeswhich move a short distance with the rotarymember. Alternately, the stripping device may comprise solenoid actuated devices which are operated to pluck the tested diodes 10 from the rotary member 46.

DESCRIPTION OF ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENT It would be within the'scope of this invention to use a second test device 85 together with the test device shown in FIG. 4 (See FIG. 9). The second test device is identical to the first test device and includes a pair of levers 88 having a pawl 89 mountedpivotallyk ont a pin 6l projecting inwardly trom the lever on the far sidek of the rotary` member 49 as viewed in FIG. 9. The pawl89 has a toothed portion 9lwhich is heldin engagement with one of a plurality of ratchet slots 53 on the stepped down?. portion 54 of thel peripheral face 49 of the rotary` member 46 onthefar side of the rotary member by a spring 93. The spring-9-3fisattached to the pawl 89 at'one end and at the other end to. a post94 on-the lever88. Electrical contact with` the .leads 1241-2," of the. diodes` 10 is` established through` a pair-ofspaeed contacts-87 which are FIG. 9, the ratchet slots finthe steppeddown portion 54 of the peripheral face ontthe near side ofthe rotary member are offset from and interposed 'between-:the `ratchet slots-53`onthe far side of the rotary member. Thelevers58 and` 88 are ar-l ranged 'so that asA onegtestdevice v55` is-testingt lthe other test device isbeingreturnedto anlinitialrposition to engage with OPERATION QF ALTERNATIV E EMBODIM ENT A typicalcyclc of operation for an apparatus 19 which includes a rotary member 46 and a pair of test devices 55 and 85 is portrayed in FIG. 10. As can be seen, at the time the conl tacts 67 initially engage the leads 12-12' of a diode l0, the

block 101 of the test device 85 is engaged by the stop member 106 to move the tooth 92 out of the ratchet slot 53 on the far side of the rotary member.

As the pawl 59 and contacts 67 ride with a diode 10, the tension spring 109 urges the lever 88 clockwise until the lever engages the stop member 107. The rotary member 46 is continuously rotated in a first or counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 9, and the pawl 89 rides along the stepped down portion S4 of the peripheral face 49 with the contacts 67 held out of engagement with the leads 12-12' ofthe diodes 10. As the next successive slot 53 on thc far side of the rotary member 46, as viewed in FIG. 9, is moved into registration with the test device 55, the spring 93 urges pivotally the pawl 89 in a counterclockwise direction until the toothed portion 92 seats in the next successive notch 53 in the stepped down portion S4 on the far side of the rotary member as shown in FIG. 9. This is shown as time t, in FIG. 10.

Just prior to time t1, the block 71 engages the stop member 76 whereupon the pawl 59 istur'ged out of the notch S3 as the rotary member continues` to rotate in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 9 and the spring 79 urgesthe arm from one location to another in order to supply constantly various operations which may be performed on the articles.

The above-described apparatus merely exemplifies the principlcs ofthe present invention. Persons having ordinary skill in the art may modify the apparatus without departing from the scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. In a method of storing and testing elongated paramagnetic articles:

establishinga magnetic field which increases in flux density from a first end to a. second end thereof for suspending magnetically a mass of said articles while urging said mass of articles to move and congregate at said second end thereof;

depositing a mass of articles in said first end thereof whereupon said articles are urged toward said second end thereof; and

selectively engaging a `predetermined number of articles within the suspended mass at said second end of said field and removing said predetermined number of articles therefrom to test the articles.

2. A method of using a pickup device having pairs of spaced pole pieces spaced therealong to remove a predetermined number of elongated paramagnetic articles from said field in accordance with the steps set forth in claim l said pole pieces having a magnetic strength greater than that of said magnetic field wherein the step of selectively removing a predetermined number of articles further includes moving said pickup device into andthrough asectionof the magnetic field at said second endthereof to attract and hold said `predetermined number of articles against said pole pieces. i

3. In an apparatus for storing a mass of elongated paramagnetic articles and for testing the articles:

means for establishing aiiig'ii'etic field having substantially parallel lines of force which increases in intensity from a first end of the field to an opposite end of the field to suspend the articles therealong while urging the mass of articles to move and congregate about said opposite end of the field; and

test means moved into and through the opposite end of the field for attracting and holding a predetermined number of articles from the mass of articles and for testing the articles.

4. ln a device for storing a mass of elongated paramagnetic articles and for sorting the articles into bins:

a first upstanding member;

a second upstanding member spaced from said first upstanding member a distance slightly greater than the length of said elongated paramagnetic article;

means for establishing a magnetic field between said upstanding members which field increases in intensity from a first end to an opposite end of said device for suspending magnetically said mass of articles while urging said mass of articles to move and congregate at said opposite end; and

testing means mounted for movement into and through the opposite end of said field for removing articles from said opposite end of said field and for sorting said articles in accordance with a test characteristic.

5. ln a device for storing a mass of elongated paramagnetic articles, as set forth in'claim 4, wherein said magnetic field is substantially confined, in a vertical plane between said upstanding members, to an area having a base which is inclined to the horizontal whereupon gravitational forces act on said articles to further urge said articles toward said opposite end of the device.

6. ln a device for storing a mass of elongated paramagnetic articles, as set forth in claim 4, wherein said means for establishing a magnetic field having an intensity which increases from a first end of the device to the opposite end comprises plate magnets positioned angularly to said upstanding members with a maximum distance therebetween at the first end of said device and a minimum distance therebetween at said opposite end of the device.

7 lna device for storing a mass of elongated paramagnetic articles, as set forth in claim 6, wherein said magnets are positioned with a bottom edge thereof forming an angle with a horizontal plane whereupon gravitational forces act on said articles to further urge said articles toward said opposite end of the device.

3. ln an apparatus for individually testing elongated paramagnetic articles:

a bin having a pair of spaced parallel side walls, for receiving a supply of said articles;

a test wheel having transversely extending slots about the periphery thereof;

means for rotatably mounting the feed wheel to position a sector of said wheel between said side walls;

means lfor establishing a magnetic field between said walls which increases in intensity in a direction toward said sector to support and urge said diodes against the periphery of said sector; and

means for rotating said wheel 'to remove articles positioned within said slots from said magnetic field to test said articles.

9. In an apparatus for suspending a mass of elongated paramagnetic articles in parallel relationship and for testing and sorting the articles:

a U-shaped structure having a pair of side walls spaced apart a distance greater than the length of the articles to be suspended;

means establishing a magnetic field between said walls which field increases in intensity from a first end to the opposite end of said structure for suspending said mass of articles while urging said articles toward the opposite end; and

formed testing means mounted fo''m'vement into and through the opposite end of said field for removing articles from said opposite end of said field and for sorting said articles in accordance with atest characteristic.

10. A storage bin for holding a-mass of elongated paramagnetic articles having leads axiallyextending from a center body thereof in parallel relationship, comprising:

a first upstanding wall;

a second upstanding wall having an inner surface spaced from and parallel to an inner surface of said first upstanding wall;

a pair of magnets positioned angularly within said walls with a varying distance between said magnets and the inner surfaces of said walls to establish a magnetic field between said walls, said field having a flux density which increases from a first end to the opposite end of said bin to establish magnetic force components directed both across the wallsand along the length of the walls toward said opposite end, whereupon said articles are suspended in said magnetic field and are urged to congregate at the opposite end ofthe bin having the maximum flux density; and

testing means mounted for movement into and through the opposite end of said field for removing articles from said opposite end of said field and for sorting said articles in accordance with a test characteristic.

il. A magnetic storage bin for suspending a mass of elongated paramegnetic articles having leads axially extending from a center body thereof, as set forth in claim 10, wherein said magnets are positioned so that bottom edges thereof form angles with a horizontal plane so that gravitational forces act on said articles to further urge said mass of articles toward said opposite end of the bin.

l2. A magnetic storage bin for suspending a mass of elongated paramagnctic articles having leads axially extending from a center body thereof, comprising:

spaced magnetic means for establishing a magnetic field having parallel lines of force together with force components at an angle to the parallel lines of force, said magnctic field having a f'lux density which increases from a first end of said bin to the opposite end of said bin;

a pair of walls interposed between said spaced magnetic means, said walls parallel and spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the length of said paramagnctic arti cles;

whereby said mass of said articles are suspended along the lines of force and are urged toward and congregate at said opposite end of said bin by the force components; and

testing means mounted for. movement into and through the opposite end of said field for removing articles from said opposite end of said field and for sorting said articles in accordance with a test characteristic.

13. An apparatus for feeding a predetermined number of elongated paramagnetic articles having leads axially extending from a center body thereof, comprising:

a storage device which includes:

a first upstanding wall; a second upstanding wall spaced from and parallel to said first upstanding wall;l

magnetic means positioned within each of said walls for establishing a magnetic field having a flux density which increases from a first end of said device to the opposite end of said device for suspending a mass of said articles while urging said mass of articles toward the opposite end; and

means moved into the opposite end of said device for attracting and holding said predetermined number of articles from the mass of articles urged toward the opposite end of said storage device to remove the articles therefrom.

14. ln an apparatus for holding a nias's vof elongated paramagnetic articles having leads axially extending from a center body thereof in parallel relationship with each other and for testing and sortingthe articles:

said magnet and said wall which varies uniformly along the length of said first magnet;

a second plate magnet positioned on the other side of said wall at an angle therewith where upon a gap is formed between said second'magnet and said first wallwhich va ries uniformly alongl the lengths of saidsecond magnet;

a second upstanding wall interposed `between said first wall and said second magnet?, said second wallmounted parallel to said first wall and spaced therefrom a distance slightly greater than the lengthofsaidparamagnetic article; y

whereby said mass of articles are held magnetically along the linesof force between said wallsand are urged toward the end of the bin at which the distance between the two plate magnetsis a minimum; and

testing means mounted' for movement intoand through the end ofthe bin at which the distance between the two plate magnetsis'a minimum for removing articles from the field and for sorting the articles in accordance with a test characteristic.

15. A`storage bin for holding amass of elongated paramagnetic articles having leads axially extending from a center' body thereof in parallel relationship, and for sorting the articles in accordance with a predetermined test characteristic,

comprising: t i

a first upstanding wall; f a second upstanding wall having an inner surface spaced' from and parallel toan inner surface of said first upstand'- ing wall; l a pair of magnets positioned angularly within said walls with a varying distance between said' magnets and the inner surfaces of said'wallsto establish a magnetic field to establish magnetic force components directed both across the walls andalongth'e length of the walls toward said 'opposite end, whereupon said articles are suspended in said magnetic fieldand are urged toward vthe opposite end of the bin'having the maximumflux density;l U-shaped means engaging the outer sides of said magnets and connected' therebetween for forming a low reluctance return path to increase the 4flux density and the uniformity of said magnetic field in" the gap between said walls; and, v

testing means mounted for movement into and through the opposite end of said fieldfor removing articles from said opposite end of said field and forfsortingl said articles in accordance with said test characteristic. 16. In a storage bin for holding a mass of elongated paramagnetic articles having leads axially extending from` a center body thereof in parallelv relationship with each other and for sorting the articles in accordance with a test characteristic thereof;

a first upstanding-wall; s a second upstanding wall spaced front and parallel to said first upstandingwall; g

magnetic means-positioned within each of said walls for establishinga magnetic field having a flux? density which increases from-a first e'nd'of said bin to the opposite end of said bin for'suspendinga mass of said articles while urging said articles towardV the opposite end, which includes: t

plural plate magnets placed end to end in each of said' 3 4 testing means mounted for movement into and-through the opposite end ofsaid field for removing articles from said opposite end of said field and for' sorting said articles in accordance with said test characteristic. 17. In an apparatus for transferring and testing electrical diodes having opposed axially extending paramagnetic leads:

a bin having a pairrof parallel, spaced side walls for receiving a supply of diodes; i a feed wheel mounted with a sector extending between the side walls of said bin,'said wheel having diode receiving slots and indexing slots formed about the periphery thereof, with each of said index slots aligned with one of said diode receiving slots; y means on said feed wheel for attracting and holding diodes in each of said diode receiving slots;

means for magnetically supporting and urging the supply of diodes to migrate from one end of the bin to an opposite end of said bin and toward the sector of the wheel proiecting into the bin, to seat diodes in slots in the sector; means for rotating the wheel in a firstdirection into and through'said opposite end of said bin to pick up diodes in the diode receiving slots; a test device mounted for rotation with said feed wheel and having; a pawl pivotally mounted on said test device for engaging one of said index slots; i test probes for engaging the leads of a diode positioned in an article receiving slot' adjacent said one of said index slots; means for biasing said test device in a second direction and for urging said pawl to seat within an index slot; means positioned for engaging the test device to permit said biasing means to move said test' devicea predetermined distance in said second direction as said feed wheel is further moved in said first direction andto move pivotally said pawl out of said index slot; and

means positioned the predetermined distance for anesting said test device to permit said biasing means to seat said pawl in the next successive index slot.

18. In an apparatus for transferring and testing diodes having opposed axially extending paramagnetic leads:

a bin having a pair of parallel, spacedside walls for receiving a supply of diodes; t

a feed wheel mounted with a sector extending between the side walls of the bin and having `diode receiving slots formed about the periphery thereof with index slots on each side ofthe diode slots, each of said index slots on one side of said wheel aligned with one of said diode receiving slots, and index slots on the other side of said wheel aligned with alternate ones of said diode receiving slots; t

means on said wheel for attracting and holding diodes in each of said diode receiving slots;

means for magnetically supporting and urging the supply of diodes to migrate from end of the bin to an opposite end of the bin and toward the sector of the wheel projecting into the bin to seat diodes in slots in the sector;

means for rotating the wheel in aY first direction into and through said opposite end of said bin to pick up diodes in the diode receiving slots;

a first test device mounted for rotation with said feed wheel for testing" diodes in diode receiving slots aligned with index slots on said one side of said wheel and having;

a pawl pivotally mounted thereon to engage successive ones of said index slots one side of the wheel;

test probes for engaging the leads of diode positioned in a receiving slot aligned with one of said index slots;

a second test device identical to said first test device for testing successive alternate ones of said diodes in receiving slots aligned with said index slots in the other side of said wheel, said second device having a pawl pivotally mounted to engage successive ones of said index slots on l the other side of the wheel;

means for biasing said test devices in a second direction and for urging said pawls to seat within said index slots;

means positioned at one-end of a predetermined distance l ing means to seat each of said pawls inthe next successive index slot, said first and second test devices arranged to operate so that one of said test devices is moved with said feed wheel in said first direction to test a leading diode while the other of said test devices is returned in a second direction to engage the next successive alternate diode. 

